SAN MATEO — With 11.3 seconds left, Roxanne Kwong drove the length of the court, tossed the ball to Nikki Hui, and Hui put in a 10-foot baseline shot with less than 2 seconds left to give Mills High’s girls basketball team a 44-42 win over upset-minded San Mateo in a Peninsula Athletic League Central Division game Wednesday.

Hui, a 5-foot-2 junior guard, was still shaking after the game.

“My heart was pumping so fast out there,” Hui said. “I was hoping that Roxanne (Kwong) could get the ball to me, because they were doubling her, and I was pretty much alone on the baseline. I just grabbed the ball and shot it so I wouldn’t have time to think about it and get all nervous. I’m still shaking and getting all sweaty thinking about it.”

“We didn’t have a play designed to go to Nikki,” said Kwong. “She was open, so I just chucked the ball over to the red jersey that was open. Wow, what a game. San Mateo has really improved. It was hard to get our shots off.”

San Mateo (15-9, 5-2) was in a position to post an upset when Keisarina Hafoka carefully put in a basket after a nice assist from Grace Ujihara with 11.3 seconds left to tie the game, 42-42. The Bearcats had fallen behind 13-6 in the first quarter and then clawed their way back into contention by the fourth period.

Mills (17-5, 7-0) had difficulty stopping San Mateo post Alisi Niupalau, who had game highs of 21 points and 13 rebounds. And when Hafoka, another 6-0 senior post, and Niupalau were in the game at the same time, Mills couldn’t buy a rebound or get an inside shot.

But perimeter shooting is no problem for the Vikings, who are deep in shooters. Quick wings Amanda Lee, Chessie Oliva, Justine Crisostomo, Kwong and Hui can all hit from the 15-foot range with regularity. It was Hui’s turn this time to get the game-winner.

Mills was led by 6-0 center Pilar Mullins, who had 11 points and eight rebounds. Oliva came off the bench to score nine points, while Kwong added eight.

PAL South

-Half Moon Bay (12-10, 2-5) also came close to an upset. Diana Cariaga scored 11 points to help Half Moon Bay outscore Menlo-Atherton 20-9 in the fourth quarter, but Menlo-Atherton (15-7, 6-1) hung on for a 54-50 victory.

-Carlmont (19-3, 7-0) stayed in first place with a 59-32 win over Woodside (6-9, 2-5). Lauren Kilburg, Emily Richard and Jenna Doyle each had 10 points. Woodside was led by 13 points from Debben Hoffer.

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